Runs came in every inning as the Mount Si softball team routed Seattle Prep Thursday, April 30, 13-0, in a five-inning mercy-rule win.
Melissa Webster, Kimber Behrends and Savannah Maddux all had doubles, and pitchers Sara Rice and Alex Johnson combined on a no-hitter. Mount Si scored five runs and sent 10 hitters to the plate in the third to seal the game’s fate.
The makeup-game crushing was the first win for interim Wildcat coach Traci Tawney in her first game as a high school head coach. Since last season, she has been a top assistant for head coach Larry White. Despite the change in coaches, though, it was business as usual.
“It wasn’t a ton different,” Tawney said. “They came out and put bat to ball, and they scored runs every inning and won every inning.”
During the contest, Mount Si took advantage of several Panther errors, mistakes that didn’t help Panther pitcher Jessica Bladow.
Bladow, a junior from Fall City facing many of her friends in this game, was part of the Wildcat summer fastpitch program three years ago when that team reached the finals of their summer league in Seattle, finishing second.
For Wildcat pitcher Rice, the key to success was a strong catcher — sophomore Carly Weidenbach.
“A good catcher means a lot,” Rice said. “They can help you out. They call good pitches, they understand what you can throw, and they’re just supportive.”
Playing against a fellow Valleyite was an interesting experience for the girls.
“It’s a little crazy and a little fun at the same time,” Weidenbach said. “It’s obviously different, because I’ve played her in the past in Little League, and I know her from there. At the same time, she’s another opponent from another team.”
In league action, Mount Si fell to Liberty on Monday, April 27, 6-4, while they defeated Mercer Island, Friday, May 1, on the island. The Wildcats come into this week at 5-4 league, 8-9 overall. Based on this week’s schedule, they should end up at 10-10 going into the playoffs.
Tawney was scheduled to handle head coaching duties until a Wednesday, May 6, game at Sammamish, while White is away at daughter Emily’s graduation. Emily, a former Wildcat softball player, graduated from Bethany University in Scotts Valley, Calif., where she was a key player on the school’s volleyball team.
The ‘Cats will be in the Kingco Tournament, scheduled for May 14 and 15, at new locations this year. Inglemoor and Woodinville High Schools will be game sites, instead of Issaquah High School, which had been the site the last few years.
Four Kingco teams will advance to the district tournament May 22 and 23 at another new location, Seattle’s Lower Woodland Park, where the summer league games were held three years ago. Five SeaKing teams will go to state this season.
